Fosamax lawsuits begin

Hundreds of patients who used the osteoporosis drug Fosamax are suing the manufacturer over damage to their jawbones. (Photo: Merck and Co.)

The first of hundreds of lawsuits against pharmaceutical company Merck will begin in New York. A jury will decide whether the company misrepresented the side effects associated with Fosamax treatment.

Fosamax is a bisphosphonate intended to inhibit bone loss. Bisphosphonates are associated with cell death in the jaw, but it is unclear whether the drug causes bone decay.

In a statement, Merck says it will "vigorously defend itself" in court in this first case, and that Fosamax was not responsible for the plaintiff's jaw damage.